


Lean mean protein machine

by canadino



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, swole boys doing what swole boys do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22556599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadino/pseuds/canadino
Summary: Tasuku tries to convince Juza to drink protein shakes.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 71





	Lean mean protein machine

Tasuku thought he was pretty good at evaluating people. Certainly, he had nothing on those older than him, like Sakyo and Azuma, who had seen more of the world. Still, he had been acting for long enough that he’d met and observed countless people and had a decent sense of understanding the various ways a body moved. Presently, he studied Juza carefully in front of him as the boy flipped through the neighborhood bulletin at the dining room table. It went without saying that Juza was looking for any notice of a new sweets shop opening or a coupon for a free dessert with the purchase of any meal item. The specimens of Mankai Company were fairly similar; most tended to be lean and lanky, if not still young and growing into themselves. Omi was an impressive outlier, tall and built solely by the circumstances of managing and thriving in an all-male household. He towered over the smaller boys and could block the doorway to keep the older boys in check. Juza was another deviation, good bone structure and sturdy with a low center of gravity. 

“Ahem,” Tasuku said, clearing his throat with the purpose of being noticed. 

Juza’s gaze flickered up toward him. Together, they stared at each other for a long, silent second before Juza seemed to remember that he had more or less been addressed. “Yes, Takato-san?”

“Do you do any sort of regular weight training, Hyoudo?”

The inner corners of Juza’s brows twitched. His face remained unbothered, although his eyes brightened with curiosity. “...I can’t say I do...I help with the chores that need heavy things lifted and I go running sometimes with Muku and…” The sentence trailed off as Juza contemplated. “...if people want to, er, disagree with me, I’ll...sometimes it can be tiring.” 

As Juza had not brought home any dishonor from his youthful fights, scolding him for getting into scuffles seemed unnecessary, regardless of what Tsumugi or Izumi might think. “I believe you have potential,” Tasuku said. 

“Potential? For what?”

Tasuku flexed his biceps, the movement clearly noticeable from beneath his shirt. The motion made Juza tense, no doubt used to it being a provocation. “What do you think of my body, Hyoudo? Or of Fushimi’s?”

“Eh...er, you’re fit. Omi-san too.” 

“I think you have the potential to become like us. It’s fortunate enough that you’re in the most active troupe, along with Fushimi. More focused training could elevate you into your best self.” Juza liked to wear jackets that tended to shroud his body, but Tasuku trusted his eye - broad shoulders, good reflexes, large hands that could hold three of those sugary pink manjus without problem. “What do you say? Think of it as a way to build stamina for the stage, to fit any role that requires you to take control of the scenery.” He noticed Juza hesitating, so he brought out his trump card. “I’m certain it would give you a leg up alongside Settsu. He’s no slouch, but while he makes up for it with flexibility, I have a feeling you may be stronger.”

Juza’s eyes were glittering. He was good with words if he put his mind to it, Tasuku thought to himself happily. “Hmm...well, if you don’t mind, Takato-san. Please teach me.” 

Tasuku was also pretty good at coming up with workout regimens. He had developed his own, which he was quite proud of as he felt himself improving week by week. He’d also helped others in college on their fitness journeys, and he’d created a tailored plan for Tsumugi who only exercised in the garden and couldn’t touch his toes. Tsumugi had withdrawn from the workout plan before he could really see results, but Tasuku was confident Tsumugi had really been on his way to some personal bests. He started Juza’s schedule off conservatively, knowing he was working with a beginner; but Juza followed the instructions faithfully and Tasuku felt no hesitations adjusting the weight and sets as he observed. Tsumugi had chuckled as Tasuku started a new notebook for Juza’s training, musing that it had been a while since Tasuku had had a pet project. 

Still, as month three began to head to a close, Tasuku was beginning to think Juza had hit a plateau. He had no intention of controlling the boy’s diet - he was not a personal trainer, and Juza was an adult who could manage his own eating habits knowing that he was exerting himself more regularly through weight training - but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to add more protein. He’d heard Banri’s grumbling and Muku and Taichi’s excited exclamations at how Juza’s arms and legs were getting rock hard, but Tasuku was convinced it was not the last frontier. 

On the four month anniversary of Juza joining Tasuku’s program, Tasuku gifted him with a can of chocolate protein powder. “To help with toning and muscle care,” Tasuku explained. 

Juza tried it immediately. Rolling his tongue in his mouth, he looked at the brown liquid with an unreadable expression. “It’s not really chocolate...doesn’t taste the same. Hmm. Do I need to drink this?”

“You don’t need to, but it’ll aid in muscle development.”

Juza put the cup of protein shake down. “I feel pretty good right now. I don’t know if I need to really be bodybuilding at this point.” He began his warm up with the dumbbells Tasuku kept in the storage room as his makeshift gym, oblivious to the scandalized look Tasuku was giving him. Bodybuilding? If Tasuku had intended Juza to fit the look, he would have given him a completely different regimen to start with. There was nothing wrong with having chiseled arms and toned calves, and protein shakes were a good supplement after a rigorous workout and the body needed the energy. 

“You can be a little insistent about certain things,” Tsumugi had told him. 

“Here’s another type of chocolate protein powder,” Tasuku said. “It’s a bit finer than the one I gave you before, so it’ll dissolve better. I know grittiness isn’t the preferred mouthfeel for everyone, but this one mixes pretty smooth. I’ve also got vanilla bean as an alternative.” 

Juza tried them too. “They’re a bit...plain tasting, though, aren’t they?” Protein powder wasn’t supposed to taste great, Tasuku resisted shouting. Juza also scorned the strawberry powder, although Tasuku had not previously vetted the flavor. Trying it afterwards when Juza trudged off to shower with a displeased look on his face, Tasuku admitted it wasn’t very good. 

“You’re looking passionate, lately,” Omi said, arms full of groceries as Tasuku washed out their protein shake cups in the sink. Tasuku would offer to help, but Omi easily pulled out several cartons of milk and bags of flour from the bags in his arms to set out on the counter without even adjusting his grip. “How is Juza’s training? He seems to be making great progress, and it’s really inspired Sakuya and Tenma to give it a go as well. You have to consider those sort of things when you’re making meals; growing, active boys need more food to keep up their energy!”

“That’s it,” Tasuku said. “Put the chocolate protein powder in Juza’s desserts.” 

Omi did not look convinced after Tasuku explained his plan. “I could...but it sounds like Juza’s more bothered by the taste, which would alter the dessert if I added it in or substituted it for something else. I personally don’t mind regular whey powder but...hmm...if it’s that…” Omi put away the groceries, looking thoughtful. “I think I have an idea, Tasuku-san. Please leave it to me.” 

(“There’s a meeting of the muscleheads,” Yuki grumbled, pulling Taichi along past where Juza, Tasuku, and Omi were sitting around the living room table. “We won’t get anything done out here with their muscles expanding and taking up space. Ugh, this means I’ll probably have to take new measurements. What a pain. Come on, we’ll organize the new fabric in my room.”

“Do you think I could join the musclehead club?” Taichi asked longingly, looking over his shoulder. Manly men were so inspiring.)

“I’ve called us here together,” Omi began, clasping his hands together, “for the first ever - protein shake tasting.” 

Juza made a face. He had stopped trying to hide his reaction to the words ‘protein shake’ ever since the strawberry incident. “You too, Omi-san?”

“Tasuku-san has a point. Protein can be a good supplement, especially if you’re planning on continuing your training. But I hear you that it isn’t the tastiest thing to drink. So I’ve gathered here, and I have some ingredients to mix with...more protein flavors.” Omi set the bags in a neat row before them. “Milk tea flavor, Thai tea flavor, Matcha, Melona...I’ll put together some flights and we can see which ones we like the most.”

Juza’s eyes were shining again. “There are other flavors besides chocolate protein?”

“Why, Juza, there are many other people like you who like to lift weights and eat sweet treats!” Omi winked at Tasuku. “It might not be so bad to try new things after all, right?”

Tasuku looked down at the little cup of orange protein drink. He looked up at Juza, who was sipping it with fascination. For a moment, he had a bizarre thought that they would look just at home at one of Homare’s fancy tea parties - except they were discussing the merits of a dairy byproduct and not of expensive leaves. Joining Mankai Company really was expanding his horizons. “Cheers, I’ll drink to that,” he said.

**Author's Note:**

> I literally just wrote this so I could write Juza drinking the Asian protein powder flavors I saw on SAT. Banzai Hunky Trio. We stan muscles in this house.


End file.
